A judge in New Brunswick has ruled that the Middlesex Borough council acted illegally when its members claimed to have terminated the borough administrator by passing a temporary budget without funding his salary and benefits in December.

Superior Court Judge James Hurley ruled that Ronald Dobies, who served as mayor of the borough for 26 years before becoming administrator in 2006, was employed by the borough until April when the council passed an ordinance terminating him.

Hurley said Dobies was entitled to his full pay and benefits until April 8 when the council passed the ordinance. He said Dobies was also entitled to three months severance and pay for his 25 vacation days and 12 sick days he would have received in 2008.

Dobies filed suit against the borough in February, arguing he was improperly terminated.

Today, he said he was "pleased" with the judge's ruling.

"I told the mayor and council in early December how to go about this (terminating the administrator), but the mayor said he had other advice," Dobies, 69, said. "This isn't personal. This is a point of law."

Steven Glickman, who represented the borough, said it was "unlikely" borough officials would appeal Hurley's ruling.